Solemnity of the birth of St. John the Baptist: Is 49:1-6; Acts 13:22-26; Lk 1:57-66, 80)

Mother Teresa relates an incident from her life. Once a man came to the home for the dying and just walked straight into the ward. Mother Teresa was sitting there. A while later the man came to Mother and said to her, “I came here with so much hate in my heart; hate for God and hate for man. I came here empty and embittered, and I saw a Sister giving her wholehearted attention to that patient there and realized that God still lives. Now I go out a different man. I believe there is a God and he loves us still.”

That sister paved the way for God in that embittered man’s life. John the Baptist, as foretold by the prophet Isaiah was the voice that was making the way straight for the Lord. He facilitated the coming of Jesus. He paved the way for Christ’s coming by his austere life, preaching and death.

We celebrate the feast of the Birth of John the Baptist this Sunday instead of the Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time because of John’s prominent role in the history of salvation as the forerunner of the Messiah.

John the Baptist is like a first draft for Jesus.  They were alike in some ways: they were cousins, almost the same age; both emerged from the desert, urging people to a different way of life; both announced that events were coming to a head.  Jesus had called John the greatest man that ever lived (Lk 7:28), and he queued up with the crowds to be baptized by him. Yet they were different.  Despite all his fire, John’s message in the end was rather conventional.  “Tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, ‘Teacher, what should we do?’  He said to them, ‘Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you.’   Soldiers also asked him, ‘And we, what should we do?’ He said to them, ‘Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages.’” (Lk 3:12-14).  He was, you might say, a moralist.  Jesus is more than a moralist. His claims exceeded those of any moralist.  He claimed that he and the Father were one.  He alone was able to say, “The Kingdom (the Presence) of God is among you.”   This is much more powerful than all the moralism in the world. 

The birth of St John the Baptist is like a huge billboard that sums up the whole history of salvation and says: "God hasn't forgotten about us, and he never will forget about us!" He is so interested in our lives and so active in the world, that he cares about sinners and wants to save them.

St John the Baptist's whole life, from his birth to his martyr's death, was a billboard for this all-important truth, that God is active in the world. John's awareness of this truth spurred him on to show and remind people of God's interest in their lives, through his example, words, and actions. He was faithful to his life's mission, because he knew that God wanted to work through him to pave the way for Christ, to change people's lives for the better. His was a life of self-denial and mortification and he led a very difficult life and ministry. 

Every Christian is called to be a saint, another John the Baptist, to be a herald of God's wonderful action in the world. But we are not all called to do so in the same way. St John the Baptist gave his entire life for the cause of Christ's Kingdom -- to be a prophet and martyr, a full-time billboard for Christ. God asked him to leave aside the normal path of life in order to fulfill this special vocation. God is still calling young men and women to do the same thing -- to give him their lives as priests, missionaries, and consecrated religious. In fact, if today's world seems in greater need than ever of Christ's message, we can be sure that God is also calling more messengers than ever.

All of us can help that call be heard, and help those being called give a generous answer. We can do so with our prayers, praying every day for vocations.  We can also do so with our words, encouraging young men and women to give Christ the first shot at their hearts. And if you happen to be one of those people Christ is calling in a special way, do not be afraid!

Today the Church is renewing our awareness of the same truth. And so today, we can also renew our commitments to our life-missions.

It was God who gave St John the Baptist his mission, and it was God's grace that enabled him to fulfill it.  Today Jesus will come to us in Holy Communion, giving us that same grace, that very same strength that has worked wonders throughout salvation history. Let's receive it joyfully, and let's promise Jesus that we will put it to work, becoming living billboards that show God is still at work in the world.

St. John the Baptist, pray for us to stay faithful to Jesus Christ whatever persecutions it may bring us.